Gate-latch.



G. s. MITCHELL.

GATE LATCH. APPLICATION FILED SEPT.14, 1909.

Patented Jan. 11,1910.

VII/QM GEORGE S. MITCHELL, 0F MULLIKIN, KENTUCKY.

GATE-LATCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 14, 1909.

Patented Jan. 11, 1910.

Serial No. 517,639.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE S. Mrronnnn, l a citizen of the United States, residing at Mullikin, in the county of Livingston and State of Kentucky, have invented new and useful Improvements in Gate-Latches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to gate latches, the object of the invention being to provide a simple, reliable and eificient construction of latch which may be applied to any ordinary type of swinging gate and may be conveniently released to permit the gate to be opened.

The invention consists of the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a front view of a portion of a gate and the latch post, showing the gate secured in closed position. Fig. 2 is an end view of the same, a portion of the post being broken away to show the construction of the latch.

Referring to the drawing, 1 designates a swinging gate, and 2 the latch post associated therewith, said gate being provided at its free edge with a catch 3 to engage the latch.

The outer face of the gate post is formed with a mortise 1 in which is fitted a casing The face plate of this casing is formed with a vertical slot 6 through which extends the vertically movable latch T, which is pivotally mounted at its inner end within the mortise, as indicated at S. The outer end of the latch is hooked at 9 for engagement with the catch a and is formed with a beveled surface 10 to adapt it to ride over and snap automatically into engagement with the catch when the door is swung closed.

A transverse recess 11 is provided in the inner side of the post near its top for the passage of a latch-opening lever 12 extending beyond both faces of the post, said lever I being fulcrumed upon a pivot pin 13. The

outer or shorter arm of this lever is connected by a link 14 with the latch, while the inner or longer arm of the lever is connected by a link 15 with an operating or foot lever 16 fulcrumed at one end. as at 17, on the outer side of the post and provided at its free end with a foot piece 18. A coiled expansion spring 19 housed in the casing 5 and exerts pressure on the latch to normally hold it in catch-engaging position.

In order to release the closed gate it is simply necessary to depress the lever 16, whereupon the lever 12 will be raised on its ])1"Ot to pull up the latch against the resistance of the spring so as to free the catch 3, upon which the gate may be swung open. The gate may be swung closed and will be automatically locked, as the catch will engage the beveled face 10 and lift the latch, which will snap into engagement with the catch in an obvious manner. The links 141 and 15 may consist of wire, cords. chains or equivalent connections.

I claim The combination with a gate post having a mortise therein, of a housing secured within said mortise and provided with a face plate having an opening therein, a latch pivotally mounted within the mortise and extending through said opening, the outer end of the latch being formed with a hooked portion having a beveled face, a spring within the housing acting to normally hold the latch in latching position, a lever fulcruined upon the post and having oppositely extending arms, a link connecting one of said arms with the latch, a foot lever pivotally mounted upon the post, and a link pivotally connecting the other arm of the first named lever with said foot lever.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE S. MITCHELL.

Vitnesses AMY LEVAN, FRANK LEVAN. 

